About
British-born and now based between Prince Edward County and Toronto, I've spent the last decade turning wine into an experience — first for myself, then for the clients and guests I host today. Having lived it from both sides of the fence — hospitality, tasting and theory on one; production on the other — every glass I pour comes with genuine perspective, a good story, and a healthy dose of British wit.
The path
Manchester
Sommelier at Ivy Asia — where the passion started
Toronto
Sommelier — the move that led me east
The County
Five vintages at Norman Hardie, up to Assistant Winemaker
Central Otago
Harvest at Rockburn — chasing better Pinot Noir
Skimming Bird
My own label — 2025 Chardonnay from Lincoln Lakeshore
Credentials & reach
WSET Level 4 Diploma
The highest tier of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust
Sommelier · Manchester + Toronto
On the floor before moving into production
5 consecutive vintages
At Norman Hardie in Prince Edward County
40+ Michelin-starred restaurants
Across Europe pour wines I helped craft
Testimonials
We recently had the pleasure of attending an Italian wine dinner hosted by Freddie Rae and Enid Grace. The dinner was held in Enid’s studio and featuring a multi course Italian dinner prepared for us by Enid and paired to Italian wines selected by Freddie.
What a wonderful evening- it was relaxed and absolutely without pretence. The intimate space, delicious food and carefully curated wines combined to create a memorable evening.
Freddie, as our host for the evening, introduced each wine and helped us understand more about the Italian wine regions and which attributes of each chosen wine helped create a successful pairing with the food. Enid not only spoke to us briefly about each course , but gave us insights into what made her
unique preparations so special.
With only ten guests for the evening, the evening was convivial, and relaxed, with laughter, stories and insights being shared by all participants. By the end of the evening Freddie and Enid had demonstrated to all of us the power of how food, wine and environment can create memories and friendships. I
can’t imagine a more enjoyable evening. Thank you Freddie and Enid!
Steve Sheriff, Picton
I recently attended an Italian dinner where Fred handled the wine
pairings, and I have to say—it was excellent. His knowledge of wine is
impressive, and the way he explained each pairing with short stories and
context made it both informative and entertaining.
No long speeches, just the right amount of detail to keep it
interesting.
The food and wine were both top quality. You could tell a lot of thought
went into the matches—each one brought something extra to the dish.
What made the evening really stand out was how personal and relaxed it
felt. It wasn’t a big, noisy event. It was small, intimate, and had a
great atmosphere. You could ask questions, have a proper conversation,
and actually enjoy the experience.
Fred did a great job. I’d gladly attend another evening like this.
Christian Jaehn-Kreibaum, Financial Advisor, Belleville